Honor Among Thieves || Book Two

~4~

Chapter Four

"Drink."

Jack's lip curled in disgust as he eyed the thick, steaming green liquid that bubbled in the ornate teacup Sera had given him.

"What is this?"

"Just drink it." She replied, ringing excess water out of a cloth. Reluctantly, Jack brought the cup to his lips and downed its contents with one big gulp. "Oi," he wheezed, sitting the cup aside, "What's in that?"

She sat on the sofa next to him. "Herbs."

"What kind of herbs?" He questioned, pushing her hand away. She rolled her eyes in frustration. "Does it matter? Be still."

He hissed in pain as she gently dabbed at the swollen gash underneath his eye.

"See?" She sat the cloth aside and retrieved a small jar of ointment off a nearby table. "That wasn't so bad."

"It stung like the dickens." He murmured, bracing himself as she gently rubbed the ointment over his wound. She giggled softly. "You're so dramatic."

A smile tugged at his lips. "Dramatic?"

She smiled and wiped her fingers on the cloth. "Yes. You're always. . ."

Her smile faded as her gaze fell to the trinket that hung around his neck. It was simple, only a strip of cowhide with a pearly white shell at its center, but it stirred something very deep within her. Wordlessly, she reached out and took it in her hand. "You still have it."

Jack grinned. "Never took it off."

Her cerluean eyes met his and in an instant, she felt everything she had been trying not to feel over the past few months. "Jack--"

"I made a mistake." He said solemnly, his face growing serious as he reached out to stroke her hair. "If I could go back and change what I did, I would a million times over. I'm sorry, darlin', I truly am."

A single tear streaked down her face.

"Will you forgive me?" He murmured, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger. She sighed and closed her eyes. "Jack, I don't think you--"

"Lemme rephrase that."

He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers; as much as she wanted to resist, to push him away and go on with being angry at him, she found that she could not bring herself to do it.

So, she kissed him back. Hard.

He smiled against her lips. "I take it you accept my apology, then."

"Yes." She pulled away from him. "But I swear, if you pull a stunt like that again. . ."

"No worries, love." He pecked her on the lips and flashed a sly grin. "Now, how about you we. . .make up?"

She glowered at him. "Don't try your luck, buddy."

His shoulders slumped as she stood up and left him alone on the sofa, a breathy sigh leaving his lips as he looked down at his pants. "Guess we won't be gettin' any action this evenin', eh?"

"What was that?"

"Nothing." He cleared his throat. "So, you're a bounty hunter now?"

"You could say that." She wiped her hands on her shirt, "Not in the traditional sense, though. I don't get bounties from governments or lawmen; I'm hired by people who need help settling. . .personal disputes."

"Kinda like a mercenary."

"Aye." She grinned and leaned against a wooden beam. "Just like a mercenary."

Jack picked at his dirty fingernails. "How exactly do people come to acquire your services? You hardly ever make port."

She shrugged. "Word gets around. I have a new contact on the line now, actually."

"Oh really?" He raised his eyebrows. "And who is it?"

"I don't know much about him. He sent word to me while I was here in Tortuga, said he wants to meet me in Port Royal as soon as possible."

"Interesting." Jack mumured, unable to ignore the sense of growing unease in his gut. Sera cleared her throat and crossed her arms over her chest. "Jack, can I ask you a question?"

He nodded and reclined even more on the sofa, throwing his legs over the arm. "Anythin'."

"I've been wondering if. . .if maybe I was too loud." She said timidly, peering at him from underneath strands of hair that had fallen in his face. "Do you think I was?"

He knitted his brows. "Too loud?"

"Yeah. You know," she lowered her eyes, "When we--"

"Oh!" Jack's eyes widened with realization. "You mean--No! No, no, no! There was nothin' wrong with that, love, nothin'! By the powers, the memory of your sweet lil' voice has helped me through some long, lonely nights on the Pearl."

She grimaced. "I didn't need to know that."

"You asked."

"I don't recall asking you whether or not you--Never mind." She shook her head. "Just. . .Never mind. The medicine should be working now. Feel any different?"

He leaned forward and blinked several times. "I don't feel lightheaded anymore." He gently touched the gash underneath his eye, "And this doesn't hurt as bad as it did."

"Good." She walked over to him and started moving her index finger back and forth in front of his eyes; after following her finger for a couple of seconds, he regarded her with a puzzled expression. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure you're okay."

"And?"

She put a hand on her hip. "You're good to go. Off with you."

"But--"

"I have things to do, Jack." She said, slipping on her overcoat. "And so do you."

He knitted his brows and stood up, tapping his chin as he struggled to remember what it was he had to do. "Do I? Seems to have slipped my mind. . ."

"Jack," she looked him in the eyes, "You know what's coming."

"I do?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. Your time as captain of the Black Pearl is nearly--"

"Alright!" He held up his hands. "None of that. I only want positive thoughts associated with you, love. I'll be on me way now."

"Be careful, Jack."

"I will." He tipped his hat and made for the door. She smiled. "Jack?"

He turned around. "Yes?"

"I love you." She said, earning a toothy grin from him. "And I. . .adore you as well, Sera." He blew her a kiss. "Ta."